Lamp socket

ABSTRACT

The socket is constructed from a tube having a pair of bayonet slots and a locating slot formed outwardly of the tube wall. A cylindrical insulating element has a pair of conductors fixed thereto, the portion extending from the front face being helically formed for engaging the contacts of a two filament light bulb and the portion extending from the rear face forming terminals. A ground terminal is also supported by the insulating element having a portion in contact with the wall of the tube with the terminal end spaced a greater distance from the center of the element for locating the contacts of a plug insertable in the rear end of the tube for properly connecting the three terminals to a circuit.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Ronald G. Hnllett 3,052,867 9/1962Rogofl' 339/217 Rechedenhlkh. "3,105,730 10/1963 Smith 339/ 188 X [21]Appl. No. 796,058 3,139,316 6/1964 Meyer etal 3391188 [22] Filed Feb. 3,1969 3,272,913 9/1966 C rimmins etal 339/188 X [45] Patented Aug. 24,1971 3,344,388 9/1967 Parker et al. 339/188 X [73] Aaignee MlcrodotJnc.3,460,088 8/1969 Arnao et a1. 339/188 X New York Primary Examiner-DavidH. Brown Attomey-Httrness, Dickey & Pierce [54] :wm ig m ABSTRACT: Thesocket is constructed from a tube having a pair of bayonet $108 and alocating slot formed outwardly of [52] 339/188, the tube wall. Acylindrical insulating element has a pair of 339/14 conductors fixedthereto, the portion extending'from the front [51] face being helicallyformed for engaging the contacts of a two [50] FleldolSearch 339/ 188,fil t light and the extending f the real 217 4 face forming terminals. Aground terminal is also supported by the insulating element having aportion in contact with the [56] new. Cu wall of the tube with theterminal end spaced a greater UNn-ED STATES PATENTS distance from thecenter of the element for locating the conl,5l1,267 10/1924 Croninger339/188 tacts of a plug insertable in the rear end of the tube for2,549,134 4/1951 Shaback 339/188 properly connecting the three terminalsto a circuit.

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I; 1 ii LAMP SOCKET BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There isno known artwhich teaches the construction of the lamp socket in accordance with thepresent invention and the structure is believed to be new andpatentable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention pertains to a lamp socket whichis rugged of construction, which is simple of manufacture and assemblyand which positively locates the filaments of a light bulb in a desiredposition. The socket is of tubular construction having bayonet slots anda locating slot pressed outwardly from the tube wall for locating alight bulb relative to the socket and the contact fingers relativethereto. A cylindrically formed insulating element has three aperturestherethrough, two for receiving the bodies of conducting elements whichare fixed thereto having nested fingers of helical shape at the forwardor bulb receiving end with the portions extending from the rear faceforming terminals. The third aperture receives a ground terminal whichis secured to the insulating element and which contacts the wall of thetube. The ground terminal extends rearwardly from the insulating elementand is spaced a greater distance from the center thereof for locatingcorresponding contacts in a plug which are to engage the terminals. Theoutwardly extending locating slot positions the socket within anaperture of a receptacle, panel or other supporting element for locatingthe pair of filaments within the lamp bulb in predetermined positionrelative thereto. Various known means may be provided for securing thesocket in sealed relation to the receptacle or other support andretaining it in fixed or releasable relation therewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. '1 is a sectional view of a socketmounted in a receptacle embodying features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a broken end view of the socket illustrated in FIG. 1, asviewed from the point 2 thereof;

FIG. 3 is a broken end view of the socket illustrated in FIG. 1, asviewed from the point 3 thereof;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, takenon the line 4-4 thereof;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2, takenon the line 5-5 thereof with parts in elevation;

FIG. 6 is a view in elevation of one of the terminal elementsillustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 6, as viewed fromthe lamp bulb-engaging end thereof; and

FIG. 8 is a view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 6 after thestamping and before the forming operation thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The socket 1 1 has a tubularbody 12 containing a pair of oppositely disposed bayonet slots 13 and alocating slot 14 pressed outwardly of the wall thereof. A cylindricalinsulating element 15 is insertable within the tubular body having anoutwardly extending rib engaged in the locating slot 14. The insulatingelement 15 is retained against further inward movement by a section 16of the tubular wall which is deflected inwardly therefrom to form a stopagainst which the bottom of the insulating element abuts when urgedinwardly by the lamp bulb. The front face of the insulating element hasa cylindrical recess 17 extending therein from which flat helicalfingers 18 and 19 extend in a position to engage the two contacts of adouble filament lamp bulb. A pair of rectangular slots 21 extend throughthe body of the insulating member 15 spaced equidistantly from thecenter thereof and in angular relation to each other.

The fingers l8 and 19 are located on the end of a stamping 22 which havea pair of rectangular sections 23 and 24 extending therefrom with alanced-out finger 25 adjacent to the finger 18 or 19 and afinger 26lanced from the section 24 and extending in the same direction as; finger 25. The fingers 18 and 19 are helically formed as illustrated inFIG. 6, and the section 24 is bent backward onto'the section 23. In thisform the fingers 25 and 26 are oppositely presented and located adistance apart such as to have the finger 25 engage the front face ofthe body portion of the insulating element 15 and the finger 26 engagethe rear face thereof when both of the sections are inserted throughslots 21 to form terminal blades. It will be noted that a shoulder 30 isprovided at the upper end of the section 23 in position to engage thefront face of the body portion of the insulating element in which casethe finger 25 can be eliminated. When both of the apertures 21 supportthe sections 23 and 24, the helical finger l8 and 19 are in nested outof contact relation to each other with the extended fingers 18 and 19 solocated as to engage a pair of contacts on the base of the lamp bulbforming a live contact with one 'end of each of the filaments. The otherend of the filaments engages the sleeve of the lamp bulb which contactsthe wall of the tubular body 12.

A ground terminal 27 is secured in a third aperture 28 through the bodyof the insulating element 15 spaced a greater distance from the centerthereof than that of the slots 21 to form a locating relation therewith.The ground terminal 27 is made from a strip of conductive material whichis bent backward on itself to form a terminal blade and have a section29 in engagement with a section 31 to form the ground terminal 27. Thefree end of the section 29 extends through the aperture 28 and has alanced-out finger 33 at the upper end which engages the front face ofthe body portion of the insulating element 13. The section 31 is bentoutwardly at 34 and formed forwardly at 35 and shaped on an arc struckfrom the center of the tubular body 12 to engage the wall thereof. Whendisposed in position as illustrated in FIG. 1, aslight recess 36 in thewall of the insulating element 15 receives the formed end 35 andmaintains it in conductive relationship with the tubular body wall. Theground terminal 27 being eccentrically located relative to the terminalsformed by the abutting sections 23 and 24 locates the plug of a wiringcircuit when being inserted in the rear end of the tubular body 12 forproperly connecting the positive and negative leads of a circuitthereto.

It is to be understood that a wall of the tubular body may be staked onthe forward side of the insulating element 15 to prevent it from movingforwardly when the lamp bulb is removed. A flanged collar 37 isillustrated as being secured to the outer surface of the wall of thetubular body 12, with a flange 38 thereon to which a ring of elastomericmaterial 39 is secured for the purpose of sealing the body against thebottom of a receptacle or other support 41. In the structureillustrated, after the insertion of the front end of the tubular bodywithin an aperture 42 in a receptacle 4l'with a predetermined sealingpressure applied thereto the forward end is spun over at 43 topermanently secure the body 12 to the receptacle. It is to be understoodthat this permanent attachment is by way of example and that there areother types of attaching means of the permanent or releasable typesknown in the art to be suitable which may be substituted therefor. It isto be understood that when the aperture 42 is provided through thereceptacle or support 41 a notch is cut in the edge to receive the wallof the locating slot 14 to thereby orient the socket and therefore thepair of filaments relative to the support.

What is claimed is:

1. In a socket, a cylindrical body having lamp bulb securing andlocating slots in the wall thereof, a unit insulating element within thebody having a rib extending in said locating slot, said element having apair of rectangular apertures therethrough extending from the front tothe rear face thereof, a pair of conducting members having a rectangularbody portion extending through said slots forming rigid terminal bladesi I 2; In a socket at recited in'c laim- 11, wherein unit insulat- .ing'element has a cylindrical recess inthe front 'end thereof in which aaidcontact: can be deflected out of engagement' with v I laid cylindricalbody. 1

3. in a rocket aa recited'in claim 1, wherein the means for aecuring'said members to said in'aulating element are lancedout fingera one ofwhich engages the front faoeand the other the rear face of aidinaulating element.

a. In a aocket as recited in claim 3, wherein the said inaulatingelement ha a third alot therethrough; and a ground terminal bladesecured to and extending 'from'the rear face of the insulating elementand having a portion-engaging theinner 1 aurt'aceofaaidcylindricalbody.v

5. In a aocket as recited in claim 4; wherein said ground terminal blade'napaced a greater radial distance from the center ,ofaaid insulatingelement than said contact terminal blades for locating a plug of a"circuit when inaerted into the rear end of a'aidcylindricalbody. a-

6. In a socket as recited in claim 5, wherein a support for aaid lockethaa an aperture with a slot in the edge which receivea the locating aloton the cylindrical body for locating rocket and therefore the filamentsof the lamp relative to 7.. Inaaocket aa recited inclaim 6. wherein them,- element baa its front face to encloee the lower por'-- tionof thelamp bulb engaging fingera and provide length to the peripheral wall forthe element within the cylindrical body. I

8. lnaaocltetaarecitedinclaim 5,whereinaaidlamp bulb 10. In a pocket asrecited in claim 9; wherein the aection extending through aaid has alanced-out finger which en'- gages the, front face of the insulatingelement, the other section having an olfaet engaging the rear face ofthe element.

1. In a socket, a cylindrical body having lamp bulb securing andlocating slots in the wall thereof, a unit insulating element within thebody having a rib extending in said locating slot, said element having apair of rectangular apertures therethrough extending from the front tothe rear face thereof, a pair of conducting members having a rectangularbody portion extending through said slots forming rigid terminal bladesat the rear and deflectable contacts at the front for engaging theterminals of a lamp bulb, and means for securing said members againstaxial movement to the front and rear faces of said insulating element.2. In a socket as recited in claim 1, wherein said unit insulatingelement has a cylindrical recess in the front end thereof in which saidcontacts can be deflected out of engagement with said cylindrical body.3. In a socket as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for securingsaid members to said insulating element are lanced-out fingers one ofwhich engages the front face and the other the rear face of saidinsulating element.
 4. In a socket as recited in claim 3, wherein thesaid insulating element has a third slot therethrough, and a groundterminal blade secured to and extending from the rear face of theinsulating element and having a portion engaging the inner surface ofsaid cylindrical body.
 5. In a socket as recited in claim 4, whereinsaid ground terminal blade is spaced a greater radial distance from thecenter of said insulating element than said contact terminal blades forlocating a plug of a circuit when inserted into the rear end of saidcylindrical body.
 6. In a socket as recited in claim 5, wherein asupport for said socket has an aperture with a slot in the edge whichreceives the locating slot on the cylindrical body for locating thesocket and therefore the filaments of the lamp relative to said support.7. In a socket as recited in claim 6, wherein the insulating element hasa recess in its front face to enclose the lower portion of the lamp bulbengaging fingers and provide length to the peripheral wall forstabilizing the element within the cylindrical body.
 8. In a socket asrecited in claim 5, wherein said lamp bulb engaging terminals are ofdouble wall thickness one section being bent backwardly upon anothersection each section containing a lanced-out finger which extends in thesame direction before the bending operation.
 9. In a socket as recitedin claim 8, wherein the ground terminal is of double wall thickness onesection extending through the insulating element, the other sectionengaging the cylindrical body.
 10. In a socket as recited in claim 9,wherein the section extending through said body has a lanced-out fingerwhich engages the front face of the insulating element, the othersection having an offset portion engaging the rear face of the element.